Cordwinder



P 7, 1966 P. E. GAUDRY 3,275,760

CORDWINDER Filed July ll, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

/a/ Maw /ITTOKNE) P. E. GAUDRY Sept. 27, 1966 CORDWINDER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 11, 1963 2 as. n. b.... 5A

VENTOR. 4: M/ZMI W1? ATTORNEY Sept. 27, 1966 P. E. GAUDRY 3,275,760

CORDWINDER Filed July 11, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 NVEN TOR.

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w'A TTOENE Y United States Patent 3,275,760 CORDWINDER Paul Emile Gaudry, Laval des Rapides, Quebec, Canada,

assignor to Aktiebolaget Electrolux, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed July 11, 1963, Ser. No. 294,389 15 Claims. (Cl. 19112.2)

My invention relates to cordwinders and more particularly to cordwinders for electrical appliances of the type that are movable over a surface like a floor or mg, for example.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved cordwinder of simplified construction which can be readily assembled.

Another object of my invention is to provide in an electrical appliance of the type indicated an improved arrangement of the cordwinder and electric motor operatively associated with it. I accomplish this by providing a cordwinder having a reel including a hub portion disposed about the electric motor and a support for carrying a spring motor operatively connected with the reel to impart rotating movement thereto for winding an electrical cord on the reel.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention 'will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear view, partly broken away and in section, of an electrical appliance embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partly broken away and in section, of the appliance shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken at line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view, partly broken away and in section, of the appliance shown in FIGS. 1 to 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of parts .shown in FIG. 1 to illustrate details more clearly.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown my invention in connection with a floor polishing machine having a plurality of rotatable brushes 11 which project downward beneath a housing or hood 12 and are arranged to be driven by an electric motor 14 mounted on a horizontally disposed plate or frame 15 and extending upward therefrom within the hood.

As shown in FIG. 4, the brushes 11 are detachably secured at 16 to gears 17 and 17a which are rotatable on shafts 18 provided at the underside of the frame 15. Two of the gears 17 mesh with the third gear 17a which in turn meshes with a pinion 19 fixed to the lower end of the motor shaft 29 which extends downward through an opening 21 in the frame 15.

The floor polishing machine is adapted to be manipulated by a handle 22 which includes an elongated rod 22a whose lower end is connected to the closed end of an inverted U-shaped yoke or fork 22b having spaced apart arms 220, the lower ends of which are pivoted at 23 on the machine.

In accordance with my invention, a reel or spool 24 disposed about the electric motor 14 is rotatably mounted on the plate or frame member 15. The reel 24 comprises a hollow hub 25 and spaced side walls or flanges 26 and 27. The top surface of the frame member 15 is formed with a shallow ring-shaped recess 28 having an inner .shoulder 29 about which is disposed an anti-friction roller bearing 30. The lower end of the hub 25 is formed with a ring-shaped cavity 31 to position the bearing 30 for 3,275,760 Patented Sept..27, 1966 "ice journaling the reel 24 for rotation about a vertical axis.

About the reel 24 is adapted to be wound an insulated electrical cord 32 at the otuer end of which is fixed a conventional plug 33 for connecting the cord to a suitable source of electrical supply. A vertical slit or opening 34 is formed in the housing 12 through which the cord 32 is adapted to pass, the slit being of such size and shape relative to the plug 33 that the latter is held at the slit and cannot pass therethrough within the housing 12 when the cord is released and the cord is being wound on the reel.

The hub 25 of the reel is formed with an insulating portion 25:: of annular form having a circular groove 35 therein which receives the inner end of the electrical cord 32. At the vicinity of the groove 35 the insulating portion 25a is provided with an opening 25b through which the insulated conductors 32a and 32b extend upward toward the top side wall or fiange 27 of the reel 24. As best seen in FIG. 5, the extreme outer bare end of conductor 32a is connected to the underside of a slip ring 36 fixed in a recess formed in the outer surface of insulating portion 25a, and the extreme outer bare end of conductor 32b is connected to the underside of a slip ring 37 which is disposed about the slip ring 36 and fixed in a recess formed in the outer surface of the insulating portion 25a.

As shown in FIG. 1, a Wall 38 extends upward from the frame 15 at a region which is within the reel 24 and at one side of the motor 14. The Wall 38, which may be formed integrally with the frame 15, serves as an upright support for an L-shaped member 39 which desirably is formed of insulating material like plastic, for example. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the member 39 includes a base or horizontal arm 39a fixed by cap screws 40 to the upper end of the upright support 38, lateral extensions or Wings 391; which project outward beyond the ends of base 39a and an upwardly extending arm 39c which serves as a vertical panel upon which parts are mounted, as will be described presently. Rollers 41 are journaled at the outer ends of the wings 39b and arranged to bear against the top side 27 of the reel 24 to hold the latter against the anti-friction roller bearing 30.

To the base 39a are connected the upper ends of downwardly extending leaf springs or contacts 42 and 43 having contact buttons at their lower ends which are in contact with the slip rings 36 and 37, respectively. The leaf springs 42 and 43 are formed and constructed so that they are biased toward the slip rings 36 and 37 to provide a good electrical connection between these parts. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper ends of the leaf springs or contacts 42 and 43 are connected by conductors 44 and 45, respectively, to the motor 14. Other motor connections include conductors 46 and 47. The conductors 44 to 47 provide connections to complete a circuit for the motor 14 when the connecting plug ,33 is connected to a source of electrical supply. It will be understood that the circuit completed for the motor 14 will include the conductors 32a and 32b of the electrical cord 32, the slip rings 36 and 37 and the resilient leaf springs 42 and 43 to which the conductors 44 and 45, respectively, are connected.

The upper end of the hub 25 projects upward above the top side wall 27 of the reel 24 and forms a gear 48 of relatively large diameter having upwardlyextending teeth 48a which mesh with teeth 49 formed at an edge of a flange or rim 50 of a gear 51 fixed to a shaft 52 mounted for rotation on the panel 39c. To the shaft 52 is also fixed a pulley 53 having a grooved rim 54, the gear 51 being disposed between .the pulley and the .panel 390. A second pulley 55 having a grooved rim 56 is rotatable on a stud 57 fixed on the panel 390.

The opposing sides of the grooved rims 54 and 56 of the pulleys 53 and 55, respectively, are disposed in the same vertically extending planes perpendicular to the axes of the shaft 52 and stud 57 and are in radial alignment, as shown in FIG. 2. Also, the peripheries of the grooved'rims '54 and 56 are closely adjacent to one I another. The inner. diameter of the grooved rim 54 of the pulley 53 is at least equal to or greater than the diameter of the grooved rim 56 of the pulley 55. About the pulley 55 is spirally wound an elongated flat spring 58 of a constant-torque type the outer end of which is extended and anchored at 59 to the bottom of the grooved rim 54 of the pulley 53. The constant-torque spring 58 successive portions of the spring 58 are transferred from the pulley or storage drum 55 to the driving drum 53. When such movement is imparted to spring 58,:the spring initially moves in an essentially straight path at a region:

58a and then bends backwards about the driving drum 53. Thespring 58, which is prestressed to coil lightly about the, storage drum 55,'possesses such physical properties that, during rotation of the driving drum 53, the part'of the spring already transferred to this drum does not undergo any change in stress, while the part of the spring on the storage drum 55 is substantially unstressed.

Only that part of the spring 58 moving through the region or zone 58a is subject to and undergoes a change in stress. Due to this physical property inherent in the spring 58, successive longitudinal portions of the spring during winding or unwinding are progressively stressed incrementally in a substantially non-cumulative manner. Therefore, from the beginning to the end of a driving cycle the torque produced by the spring 58 is substantially constant by reason of the pull of the extended part of the spring at the periphery of the driving drum 53 plus the added torqueproduced by the bending moment required to bend back the straight section 58a to conform to the curvature of the storage. drum 55.

When the cord 32 is pulled to unwind it from the-reel or spool 24, rotating movement is imparted to the driving drum 53 and reverse winding of the spring 58 thereon is effected, the spring being stressed sequentially in increments. When the cord 32 is subsequently released, the spring 58 is transferred from the driving drum 53 to the storage drum 55, the torque developed by the spring being substantially constant during the entire cycle during which the cord 32 is being wound on thereel or spool 24. While the extended end of the spring 58 is fixed at 59 to the driving drum 53, the inner end of the spring is free of and -not attached to the storage drum 55 which is freely rotatable onthe stud 57. 7

In view of the foregoing; it will now be understood that an improved electrical cordwinding structure has .been

providedhaving a compact arrangement of parts and Since the hub 25, of

which is relatively light in weight. the reel or spool 24 is disposed about the motor 14 and the member 39 providing the base 39a to which the leaf springs or contacts 42 and 43 are secured and the panel 390 upon-which the drums 53 and 55 and gear 51 are mounted, it will be understood that the hub 25 is ofrelatively largediameter. Since the hub 25 defines the diamment of my invention, I do not wishto be limited to the particular arrangement set forth, and I intend in the foleter, of the smallest turn of the cord 32 on the reel or 41 lowing claims to cover all modifications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim: 1. In a .cordwinder, .a frame, a cordwinding spool mounted on the frame for rotation about a first axis, the

spool including axially spaced flanges, a cord-connected.

to the spool to be wound thereon between the adjacent inner faces of the flanges, a driving drum mounted on the frame for rotation adjacent to the outer face ofoneof the flanges about a second axis transverse to the firstaxis, means including gearing for rotating the driving drum when the cord is unwound from the spool, the gearing comprising a first gear adjacent to the outer face of the one flange and rotatable with the spool and a second gear adjacent to the driving drum and rotatable therewith, a spring storage drum mounted on the frame to one side of and in radial alignment with the driving drum for rota,- tion about a third axis parallel to the second axis, and a spring prestressed to coil tightly around the storage drum and havingits outer end secured to the driving drum to be wound thereon when the spool is. rotated by the unwinding of the cord from the spool'and the gearing effects rotation of the driving drum.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the driving drum and storage drum each have first and second spaced flanges defining grooved rims, the first and second flanges of the driving drum and, storage drum, respec tively, being in radial alignment and having their peripheries closely adjacent to one another.

3. Apparatus asset forth in claim 1 in which the gearingrotates the driving drumat a faster speed than the spool when the cord is unwound from the spool.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the. diameter of the storage drum is less than that of the driving drum andeach of the drums is provided with first and second spaced flanges defining grooved rims, the first and second flanges of the driving drum and storage drum, respectively, being in radial alignment.

5. In a cordwinder, a frame, a cordwinding spool mounted on the frame forrotation about a first axis, the' spool including a cylindrical hub portion and axially spaced flanges, a cord connected to the spool to be wound thereon between the adjacent inner. faces'ofthe flanges, a

driving drum mounted on the frame for rotation adjacent to the outer face of one of the flanges about a second axis transverse to the first axis, means includinggearing for rotating the driving drum at a faster speed than the spool when the cord is unwound from the latter, the. gearing comprising a first gear having a cylindrical toothed" portion adjacent to the outer face of the one fiangeand rotatable with the spool-and a second gear adjacent to the driving drum and rotatable therewith, :the diameter of the toothed portion being at least as great .as that ofthe hub portion, a spring storage drum mounted .on the frame to one side of and in radial alignment with the driving drum 7 for rotation about a third axis parallel to, the secondaxis, and a spring prestressed to coil tightly. around the storage drum and having its outer end secured to the. driving drum to bewound thereon whenthe spool is rotated by the unwinding of the. cord from the spool and the gearing effects rotation'of the driving drum. 6. -In a cordwinder, a frame, a cordwinding spool,

means for mounting the spool on the frame .for rotation about a first vertically extending axis, the spool including a hollow cylindrical hub portion and axially spaced top and bottom flanges, a cord connected to the spooltoothed portion adjacent to the outer face of the top flange and rotatable with the spool and a second gear adjacent to the driving drum and rotatable therewith, the diameter of the toothed portion being at least as great as that of the hub portion, a spring storage drum, means for mounting the storage drum on the support to one side of and in radial alignment with the driving drum for rotation about a third axis parallel to the second axis, and a spring prestressed to coil tightly around the storage drum and having its outer end secured to the driving drum to be Wound thereon when the spool is rotated by the unwinding of the cord from the spool and the gearing effects rotation of the driving drum.

7. Apparatus .as set forth in claim 6 in which the means for mounting the spool on the frame for rotation about the first axis includes anti-friction bearing means adjacent to the outer face of the bottom flange, and roller means mounted on the support and arranged to bear against the top part of the spool.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 in which the spool mounting means further includes an upwardly extending shoulder of cylindrical form provided on the frame and the anti-friction bearing means comprises a cylindrical member which is disposed about the shoulder and against which the bottom of the spool bears.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 in which the support includes a member at a level above the top flange, and the roller means comprises one or more rollers mounted for rotation on the last-mentioned member and arranged to bear against the top part of the spool.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 which includes an electric motor mounted on the frame within the hub portion, a pair of concentric slip rings at the outer face of the top flange, the slip rings .and spool being so constructed and arranged that the slip rings are disposed on an insulated part of the spool, and means including a pair of contacts carried by the support for frictionally contacting the slip rings to connect the latter to the motor.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 in which the support includes an insulating part formed of insulating material, the mounting means for the driving and storage drums mounting the drums on the insulating part, and the contacts being mounted on the insulating part.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which the first gear is disposed at the top face of the spool and formed with spaced upwardly extending teeth, and the second gear having teeth at its periphery which mesh with the teeth of the first gear.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 in which the teeth of the first gear are formed integrally with the spool.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 in which the teeth of the first gear are formed at the vicinity of the hub portion of the spool.

15. In an electrically-operated appliance adapted to be postioned on a surface and moved thereover, structure including an electric motor for operating the appliance, a housing for the motor, means providing a support in the housing, a rotatable member including a reel having a hub portion, means for mounting the member for rotation in the housing about a vertical axis, the hub portion being disposed about the motor and the support, an electrical cord for the reel which may be wound thereon, a spring motor mounted on the support, structure comprising the spring motor operatively connected with the member to impart rotating movement thereto for winding the cord on the reel, a vertically extending panel mounted on the support, the spring motor including a constant torque spring of spiral form, means for supporting said spring on the panel for movement about an axis transverse to the vertical axis about which the reel rotates, the spring motor including a storage drum and a driving drum mounted on the panel for rotation about spaced axes transverse to the axis about which the reel rotates, the spring being disposed about the storage drum and having its outer end anchored to the driving drum, and means for rotating the driving drum at a faster speed than the reel when the cord is unwound from the latter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 23,280 10/1950 Applegate.

561,443 6/ 1896 Schmidt 19 l12.2 2,487,395 ll/ 1949 Strang 191-122 3,011,033 ll/196l Belicka et al. 191l2.2 3,137,883 6/ 1964 Descarries 15-323 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

EUGENE G. BOTZ, Examiner.

S. T. KRAWCZEWICZ, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A CORDWINDER, A FRAME, A CORDWINDING SPOOL MOUNTED ON THE FRAME FOR ROTATION ABOUT A FIRST AXIS, THE SPOOL INCLUDING AXIALLY SPACED FLANGES, A CORD CONNECTED TO THE SPOOL TO BE WOUND THEREON BETWEEN THE ADJACENT INNER FACES OF THE FLANGES, A DRIVING DRUM MOUNTED ON THE FRAME FOR ROTATION ADJACENT TO THE OUTER FACE OF ONE OF THE FLANGES ABOUT A SECOND AXIS TRANSVERSE TO THE FIRST AXIS, MEANS INCLUDING GEARING FOR ROTATING THE DRIVING DRUM WHEN THE CORD IS UNWOUND FROM THE SPOOL, THE GEARING COMPRISING A FIRST GEAR ADJACENT TO THE OUTER FACE OF THE ONE FLANGE AND ROTATABLE WITH THE SPOOL AND A SECOND GEAR ADJACENT TO THE DRIVING DRUM AND ROTATABLE THEREWITH, A SPRING STORAGE DRUM MOUNTED ON THE FRAME TO ONE SIDE OF AND IN RADIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE DRIVING DRUM FOR ROTATION ABOUT A THIRD AXIS PARALLEL TO THE SECOND AXIS, AND A SPRING PRESTRESSED TO COIL TIGHTLY AROUND THE STORAGE DRUM AND HAVING ITS OUTER END SECURED TO THE DRIVING DRUM TO BE WOUND THEREON WHEN THE SPOOL IS ROTATED BY THE UNWINDING OF THE CORD FROM THE SPOOL AND THE GEARING EFFECTS ROTATION OF THE DRIVING DRUM. 